95 test bank for management 11th edition robbins

Test Bank for Management 11th
Edition Robbins
________ has been described as the shared values,
principles, traditions, and ways of doing things that
influence the way organization members act.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) Corporate hierarchy
B) Business configuration
C) Organization culture
D) Industrial psychology

Which of the following represents the two views of
managerial impact on the success or failure of the
organization?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) omnipotent and symbolic
B) omnipotent and reflective
C) symbolic and interactive
D) reflective and interactive

D&B Designs has been in the landscape design business in
Pleasantville for the past twenty years. As the "first
mover" in the market, the company has built a strong

market share over the years and is the best-known firm
in the area. The company strength increased steadily,
and now stands at fifty employees. Which of the
following, if true, would make the company's business
environment more uncertain?
1.

A) Homeowners in the area take pride in their gardens and are avid do-it-yourself
gardeners.
2. B) Demand for landscaping services dips every autumn and winter.
3. C) A long-time competitor quit the landscape design business last year.
4. D) Zoning laws in the area change as each new city council comes into power.

Which of the following is a characteristic of a dynamic
environment?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) high level of predictability of changes in environmental conditions
B) few technological breakthroughs by current competitors
C) the presence of new competitors in the market
D) little activity by pressure groups to influence the organization


Elmo Research & Development has been going through a
rough patch lately. Turnover has been high and
employee morale is at an all-time low. Though
employees and competitors hold management

responsible for the decline, the CEO does not let the
managers go or change the management style. Which
of the following could explain this attitude?
1.

A) The CEO holds the omnipotent view of management, which believes that
external factors have a significant effect on performance outcomes.
2. B) As the organization has an autocratic management style, the employees are
responsible for organizational policies.
3. C) The organization has a participative management style and decisions are
guided by consensus.
4. D) The CEO holds the view that managers have only a limited role in organization
success or failure.

Which of the following factors is a demographic component
of an organization's external environment?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) lifestyles and behavior
B) political stability
C) geographic location
D) stock market fluctuations

If the components of an organization's environment change
frequently, the organization is operating in a ________
environment.
1.

2.
3.
4.

A) stable
B) secure
C) dynamic
D) constant

The current dominant assumption in management theory
suggests that ________.
1.

A) an organization's success or failure is due to external forces outside managers'
control
2. B) managers' roles are increasingly becoming peripheral and staff manage their
own areas of expertise
3. C) managers are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure
4. D) managers cannot significantly affect an organization's performance because
they are constrained by the abilities of their employees

Internal constraints that influence managers' decisions and
actions come from ________.
1.

A) the attitudes of customers


2.
3.

4.

B) the culture of the organization
C) the prevailing political conditions
D) the fluctuations in the stock market

Which of the following factors is a sociocultural component
of an organization's external environment?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) education level
B) political stability
C) behavior patterns
D) family composition

The ________ component of an organization's external
environment is concerned with trends in population
characteristics such as age, race, gender, education
level, geographic location, income, and family
composition.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) economic
B) political

C) demographic
D) sociocultural

Which of the following is NOT true about the environmental
complexity of an organization?
1.
2.

A) Environmental complexity increases as the number of competitors increases.
B) It is measured in terms of the knowledge an organization needs about its
environment.
3. C) Complexity decreases as the number of regulatory agencies increases.
4. D) It depends on the knowledge an organization has about the components of its
environment.

In which of the following environments do managers in an
organization have the greatest influence on
organizational outcomes?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) stable and complex environments
B) dynamic and simple environments
C) stable and simple environments
D) dynamic and complex environments

Which of the following statements is true of dynamic and
complex environments?

1.
2.
3.

A) They are characterized by a high degree of predictability of change.
B) There are usually few components in such environments.
C) A high need for sophisticated knowledge of components exists in such
environments.


4.

D) The components in such environments are somewhat similar, but are
continually changing.

Which of the following groups includes individuals who were
born between the years 1946-1964?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) the Silent Generation
B) the Gen Y-ers
C) the Baby Boomers
D) Post-Millenials

The term ________ is used to collectively refer to any
constituencies in an organization's environment that
are affected by its decisions and actions.

1.
2.
3.
4.

A) competitors
B) shareholders
C) unions
D) stakeholders

According to the symbolic view, managers have a(n)
________ effect on substantive organizational
outcomes.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) limited
B) extensive
C) influential
D) significant

The soccer league in England is notorious for the number of
team managers fired over the course of a single
season, which stands at no fewer than eight managers
on average, owing to poor team form and
consequently, poor results. It is evident from this
information that the league endorses a(n) ________
view of management.

1.
2.
3.
4.

A) symbolic
B) omnipotent
C) laissez-faire
D) democratic

The omnipotent view of management states that ________.
1.

A) managers' roles are peripheral and staff manage their own areas of the
business
2. B) managers are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure
3. C) managers should allow employees to take part in decision-making
4. D) managers have little or no responsibility for an organization's success or failure


The symbolic view of management is based upon the belief
that managers symbolize ________.
1.
2.

A) control and influence in developing plans and making decisions
B) every aspect of an organization's performance, from the top level to the
operational level
3. C) the fluctuating fortunes of the organization as they alternate between profits
and losses

4. D) the take-charge executive who overcomes any obstacle to see that the
organization achieves its goals

Which of the following most accurately reflects the symbolic
view of management?
1.
2.

A) Managers are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure.
B) Managers have to ensure that every obstacle is overcome on the way to
achieving the organization's goals.
3. C) External forces are responsible for an organization's success or failure.
4. D) Employees are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure.

The ________ view of management is consistent with the
stereotypical picture of the take-charge business
executive who can overcome any obstacle in carrying
out the organization's objectives.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) omnipotent
B) symbolic
C) democratic
D) laissez-faire

Which of the following are the two dimensions of
environmental uncertainty?

1.
2.
3.
4.

A) degree of change and degree of complexity
B) degree of change and degree of volume
C) degree of complexity and degree of impact
D) degree of impact and degree of timing

If the components in an organization's environment exhibit
minimal change, such an environment is said to be
________.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) volatile
B) dynamic
C) stable
D) active


The economic environment affects the performance of an
organization, as was noted during the recent
recession. Which of the following factors is cited as
one of the causes of the recent recession triggered in
the home mortgage markets in the U.S.?
1.

2.
3.
4.

A) high interest rates on mortgages
B) massive global liquidity
C) lack of leverageability for business borrowers
D) difficulty in securing housing credit

Which of the following environments is characterized by the
highest level of environmental uncertainty?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) a stable and complex environment
B) a dynamic and simple environment
C) a stable and simple environment
D) a dynamic and complex environment

Which of the following statements highlights the shared
aspect of culture?
1.

A) Organizational culture is concerned with how members perceive the culture and
describe it, not with whether they like it.
2. B) Organizational culture is not something that can be physically touched or seen,
but employees perceive it on the basis of what they experience within the
organization.

3. C) The original source of the culture of an organization reflects the vision of the
organizaton's founders.
4. D) Even though individuals may have different backgrounds or work at different
organizational levels, they tend to describe the organization's culture in similar
terms.

Which of the following dimensions of organizational culture
refers to the degree to which organizational decisions
and actions emphasize maintaining the status quo?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) stability
B) attention to detail
C) innovation and risk taking
D) people orientation


Daniel is the CEO of CookRite, a company manufacturing
kitchen appliances. The company has been in
business for the past ten years and sales were steadily
increasing until six months ago, when there was a
significant decrease. Though Daniel held a number of
meetings with the top management of the company, he
did not make any changes in the management
techniques and did not blame managers for the drop in
sales. Which of the following, if true, would indicate
that Daniel was wrong in his approach?

1.
2.

A) CookRite's competitors saw a similar drop in sales over the same period.
B) A new competitor entered the market six months ago, and sold products below
cost to gain market share.
3. C) Demand for kitchen appliances has increased significantly over the past year.
4. D) The price of technology used in kitchen appliances fell and CookRite
subsequently reduced its prices.

Which of the following factors is an economic component of
an organization's external environment?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) family composition
B) education level
C) disposable income
D) geographic location

Daniel is the CEO of CookRite, a company manufacturing
kitchen appliances. The company has been in
business for the past ten years and sales were steadily
increasing until six months ago, when there was a
significant decrease. Though Daniel held a number of
meetings with the top management of the company, he
did not make any changes in the management
techniques and did not blame managers for the drop in

sales. Which of the following, if true, would indicate
that Daniel was correct in his approach?
1.

A) Sources reveal that CookRite's competitors saw a similar drop in sales over the
same time period.
2. B) The price of technology used in CookRite products fell during this period, as a
result of innovations.
3. C) The symbolic view of management, which Daniel holds, is the preferred method
in that industry.
4. D) Demand for kitchen appliances has increased significantly over the past year.


________ is/are called the iGeneration, because they've
grown up with technology that customizes everything
to the individual.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) Post-Millenials
B) The Silent Generation
C) Baby Boomers
D) Gen Y-ers

63 Free Test Bank for Management 11th Edition
Robbins Multiple Choice Questions - Page 2
If the mortgage interest rates increase, this would be an
example of changing ________ in your external

environment.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) economic conditions
B) political conditions
C) sociocultural conditions
D) demographic conditions

Todd notices that management is very concerned with the
effects of outcomes on employees in the organization.
This means that the management emphasizes the
________ dimension of the organization's culture.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) stability
B) people orientation
C) aggressiveness
D) innovation and risk taking

A company whose managers focus on results, rather than
how results are achieved, most likely possesses a high
degree of ________.
1.
2.

3.
4.

A) people orientation
B) team orientation
C) outcome orientation
D) aggressiveness

Which dimension of the organizational culture is workplace
spirituality most closely related to?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) outcome-orientation
B) innovation and risk taking
C) attention to detail
D) people-orientation


An organization's culture supports the belief that profits can
be increased by cost cutting and that the company's
best interests are served by achieving slow but steady
increases in quarterly earnings. What is the nature of
the programs that the organization's managers are
likely to follow?
1.
2.
3.

4.

A) short-term
B) risky
C) innovative
D) expansionary

Todd is concerned with the degree to which managers focus
on results rather than techniques and the processes
used to achieve those results. In other words, Todd is
concerned that the company will emphasize ________
over other dimensions of the organizational culture.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) stability
B) aggressiveness
C) attention to detail
D) outcome orientation

If you were talking with Todd and asked him what the term
culture meant, he would reply that it is ________.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) the formal rules of an organization

B) the nature of products/services offered by the company
C) the shared values and practices of the firm
D) a set of operational procedures for the company

Imagine that the town to which your office caters sees a
sudden spurt in popularity. There has been a lot of
construction activity in the area and a number of
properties are being developed. The number of
customers has increased, and so have your
competitors. In this situation, what should you do to
reduce environmental uncertainty?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) Restrucutre your organizational hierarchy to improve efficiency
B) Acquire or merge with one or more of your competitors
C) Maintain the status quo by keeping your business processes constant
D) Communicate the situation clearly to all your stakeholders


Which of the following most accurately reflects the
difference between strong cultures and weak
cultures?
1.

A) Strong cultures tend to encourage employees to try new approaches to
changing conditions, while weak cultures do not.
2. B) In strong cultures, organizational values are held by top management, while in

weak cultures, values are diffused throughout the organization.
3. C) Strong cultures have less of an influence on employee behavior than do weak
cultures.
4. D) Company values are more deeply held and widely shared in strong cultures
than in weak cultures.

The original source of an organization's culture usually
reflects ________.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) the present conditions in which the organization functions
B) the composition of its productive workforce
C) the degree of success that the organization has achieved
D) the vision or mission of the organization's founder

Google has often been cited as a model for employee
satisfaction. Google takes extensive care to ensure
employees have the best available conditions to
perform, ranging from free snack bars, free massages,
innovation rooms, spas-on-site, and many more such
measures. Which dimension of organizational culture
is Google said to emphasize through such measures?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) stability
B) aggressiveness
C) people orientation
D) attention to detail

In an organization whose culture conveys a basic distrust of
employees, managers are more likely to use a(n)
________ leadership style.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) participatory
B) democratic
C) authoritarian
D) laissez-faire


Wendell notices that the company's top executives share a
belief that managers are directly responsible for the
organization's success or failure. This belief reflects
a(n) ________ view of management.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) traditional
B) omnipotent

C) emblematic
D) symbolic

According to Swedish researcher Goran Ekvall, which of the
following is a characteristic found in an innovative
culture?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) a serious outlook toward work
B) intolerance toward uncertainty or ambiguity
C) resolution of employee issues based on personal interest
D) freedom for employees to express opinions

The term ________ refers to repetitive sequences of
activities that express and reinforce the important
values and goals of the organization.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) organizational culture
B) corporate rituals
C) business ethics
D) employee mentoring

Which of the following is a criticism of spiritual

organizational cultures?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) inhibition of employees' expressions and emotions
B) incompatibility between profits and spirituality
C) lack of openness with stakeholders such as customers and suppliers
D) absence of employee empowerment

Which of the following is a characteristic of an organization
with a strong culture?
1.

A) Management strives to delink shared values from behaviors as much as
possible.
2. B) Culture conveys consistent messages about what is important to the
organization.
3. C) The core set of organizational values is zealously guarded by the management.
4. D) Emphasis is laid on the future of the organization, rather than acquainting
employees with company history or past heroes.


The area in which your office operates has been relatively
stable in terms of land prices and demand. However,
you have noticed that demand for housing in the area
usually spikes in summer. Which of the following best
describes your business environment?
1.

2.
3.
4.

A) stable and simple
B) dynamic and simple
C) stable and complex
D) dynamic and complex

An innovative organizational culture is characterized by all of
the following, EXCEPT ________.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) freedom
B) conformity
C) debates
D) risk taking

A company that aims to develop a strong sense of purpose
through meaningful work has a(n) ________
organizational culture.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) spiritual

B) authoritarian
C) profit-oriented
D) outcome-oriented

Which of the following is a characteristic found in spiritual
organizations?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) focus on team development, rather than individual development
B) profit-oriented outlook towards all organizational activities
C) tolerance towards mistakes and openness with customers and employees
D) emphasis on controlling emotions and feelings

________ is a process that helps new employees learn the
organization's way of doing things.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) Externalization
B) Socialization
C) Deculturation
D) Transculturation


Wendell interviews many middle-level managers and

discovers that they share a different view of
management. These individuals believe that external
factors constrain managers' influence over outcomes.
The mid-level managers have a(n) ________ view of
management.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) traditional
B) omnipotent
C) standard
D) symbolic

Organizational ________ typically contain narratives about
significant events or people in the organization.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) stories
B) rituals
C) language
D) material artifacts

Which of the following guidelines should managers follow
while building a customer-responsive culture?
1.

A) precisely defining employees' normal job requirements and ensuring they
perform those actions alone
2. B) giving service-contact employees continual training on product knowledge,
listening, and other behavioral skills
3. C) designing jobs with rigid rules and procedures that employees should stick to in
order to satisfy customers
4. D) preserving the discretion to make day-to-day decisions on job-related activities
at the top level of management

Which of the following would make Mary realize that the
company has a strong culture?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) values are limited to the top management
B) culture sends contradictory messages about what is important
C) most employees are aware of company history
D) shared values and behaviors are not connected

Which of the following is most likely to have a highly
spiritual organizational culture?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) a highly aggressive, competitive business

B) a company with high tolerance of employee expression
C) a business that focuses strictly on outcomes
D) a business that emphasizes centralized control


Mary also found out that in order to build a strong new
culture, she should do all but which of the following?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) hire employees who fit in with the company's culture
B) develop socialization practices to build culture
C) encourage a high turnover rate among employees
D) have management make organizational values clear

Which of the following is an example of a corporate ritual?
1.

A) Employees swapping stories about the company's history and past heroes who
have made significant contributions to the company.
2. B) Company executives using company-specific jargon or slogans intended to
inspire other employees to perform better.
3. C) Companies hosting annual parties to commemorate employee contributions
and reward outstanding performance.
4. D) The assortment of material artifacts that characterize an organization, including
the layout of its facilities, how its employees dress, and the types of automobiles
provided to top executives.

Which of the following is a disadvantage of having a strong
organizational culture?
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) high employee turnover
B) decreased organizational performance
C) low loyalty towards the organization
D) inability to respond to changing conditions

Workplace spirituality has become important in the
contemporary workplace because it ________.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A) increases organizational efficiency
B) boosts company profits
C) gives employees a sense of purpose
D) brings religion into business

20 Free Test Bank for Management 11th Edition
Robbins True - False Questions
An organization's competitors and employees are
considered to be stakeholders who are affected by the
organization's decisions and actions.
1.

2.

True
False


The view of managers as omnipotent is consistent with the
stereotypical picture of the take-charge business
executive who can overcome any obstacle in carrying
out the organization's objectives.
1.
2.

True
False

A dynamic environment is characterized by the absence of
new competitors, few technological breakthroughs by
current competitors, and little activity by pressure
groups to influence the organization.
1.
2.

True
False

The shared aspect of culture implies that all employees in an
organization approve of the culture.
1.
2.

True
False

Organizations help employees adapt to the culture through
socialization.
1.
2.

True
False

Organizations that emphasize workplace spirituality focus on
individual development.
1.
2.

True
False

Managers of high-performing companies tend to consider
the interests of the most profitable stakeholder groups
as they make decisions.
1.
2.

True
False

In order to develop an innovative organizational culture,

managers must minimize ambiguity and uncertainty
and discourage risk-taking.
1.
2.

True
False


Corporate rituals are repetitive sequences of activities that
express and reinforce the key values of an
organization.
1.
2.

True
False

Strong cultures have more influence on employees than do
weak cultures.
1.
2.

True
False

A dynamic and simple environment is characterized by the
greatest level of environmental uncertainty.
1.
2.

True
False

Giving service-contact employees the discretion to make
day-to-day decisions on job-related activities is
instrumental in creating in a customer-responsive
culture.
1.
2.

True
False

In a "ready-aim-fire" culture, managers take action and then
analyze what has been done.
1.
2.

True
False

In strong organizational cultures, employees have little
knowledge of company history or heroes, what is
important is present performance.
1.
2.

True
False

In the symbolic view of management, managers are seen as
directly responsible for an organization's success or
failure.
1.
2.

True
False


Environmental uncertainty looks at the number of
components in an organization's environment and the
extent of the knowledge that the organization has
about those components.
1.
2.

True
False

The symbolic view of management impact is useful in
explaining the high turnover among sports coaches,
who can be considered the "managers" of their teams.
1.
2.

True
False

A valid criticism of workplace spirituality is that secular
institutions, especially businesses, have no right to
impose spiritual values on employees, if spirituality
means bringing religion into the workplace.
1.
2.

True
False

Organizations that subscribe to workplace spirituality
emphasize the importance of employees controlling
their expressions and emotions.
1.
2.

True
False

Spiritual organizations tend to be intolerant of employees
who commit mistakes.
1.
2.

True
False

10 Free Test Bank for Management 11th Edition
Robbins Free Text Questions
How is culture transmitted to employees of an organization?

In a short essay, explain the four primary forms of
transmission and provide an example of each.
Answer Given

Culture is transmitted to employees in a number of ways. The most significant are
stories, rituals, material symbols, and language: a. Stories: Organizational
"stories" typically contain a narrative of significant events or people including such


things as the organization's founders, reactions to past mistakes, and so forth. For
instance, managers at Nike feel that stories told about the company's past help
shape the future. Whenever possible, corporate "storytellers" (senior executives)
explain the company's heritage and tell stories that celebrate people getting things
done; b. Rituals: Corporate rituals are repetitive sequences of activities that
express and reinforce the values of the organization, what goals are most
important, and which people are important. The "Passing of the Pillars" is an
important ritual at Boston Scientific's facility near Minneapolis, for example. When
someone has a challenging and tough project or assignment, they're "awarded" a
small two-foot high plaster-of-Paris pillar to show that they've got support from all
their colleagues; c. Material Symbols: Material symbols convey to employees who
is important, the degree of equality desired by top management, and the kinds of
behavior that are expected and appropriate. Examples of material symbols include
the layout of an organization's facilities, how employees dress, the types of
automobiles provided to top executives, and the availability of corporate aircraft. At
WorldNow, a provider of Internet technology to local media companies, an
important material symbol is an old dented drill that the founders purchased for $2
at a thrift store. The drill symbolizes the company's culture of "drilling down to
solve problems." d. Language: Many organizations and units within organizations
use language as a way to identify and unite members of a culture. By learning this
language, members attest to their acceptance of the culture and their willingness

to help preserve it. For instance, Microsoft employees have their own unique
vocabulary: the term work judo is used to mean "the art of deflecting a work
assignment to someone else without making it appear that you're avoiding it."

List the factors that influence the strength of an
organization's culture and discuss the impact of a
strong organizational culture on employees.
Answer Given

Organizational culture has been described as the shared values, principles,
traditions, and ways of doing things that influence the way organizational members
act. In most organizations, these shared values and practices have evolved over
time. Factors: a. size of the organization; b. how long it has been around; c. how
much turnover there has been among employees; d. intensity with which the
culture was originated; e. high agreement regarding what is important. The more
employees accept the organization's key values and the greater their commitment
to those values, the stronger the culture is. Strong cultures have a greater
influence on employees than do weak cultures. One study found that employees in
organizations with strong cultures were more committed to their organization than
were employees in organizations with weak cultures. The organizations with
strong cultures also used their recruitment efforts and socialization practices to
build employee commitment. And an increasing body of evidence suggests that
strong cultures are associated with high organizational performance. It's easy to
understand why a strong culture enhances performance. After all, when values are
clear and widely accepted, employees know what they're supposed to do and
what's expected of them so they can act quickly to take care of problems, thus
preventing any potential performance decline. However, the drawback is that the
same strong culture also might prevent employees from trying new approaches
especially during periods of rapid change.

In a short essay, differentiate between the symbolic view and
the omnipotent view of management. Include specific
examples of each view to support your answer.
Answer Given

The dominant view in management theory and society in general is that managers
are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure. This perspective is
known as the omnipotent view of management. In contrast, others have argued
that much of an organization's success or failure is due to external forces outside
managers' control. This perspective is called the symbolic view of management. a.
In the omnipotent view, differences in an organization's performance are assumed
to be due to decisions and actions of its managers. Good managers anticipate
change, exploit opportunities, correct poor performance, and lead their
organizations. When profits are up, managers take the credit and are rewarded
with bonuses, stock options, and the like. When profits are down, top managers
are often fired in the belief that "new blood" will bring improved results. When
things go well, managers also get the credit—even if they had little to do with
achieving the positive outcomes. The view of managers as omnipotent can help
explain the high turnover among college and professional sports coaches, who
can be considered the "managers" of their teams. Coaches who lose more games
than they win are fired and replaced by new coaches who, it is hoped, will correct
the inadequate performance. b. The symbolic view says that a manager's ability to
affect performance outcomes is influenced and constrained by external factors.
According to this view, it's unreasonable to expect managers to significantly affect
an organization's performance. Instead, performance is influenced by factors over
which managers have little control such as the economy, customers, governmental
policies, competitors' actions, industry conditions, and decisions made by previous
managers. This view is labeled "symbolic" because it's based on the belief that
managers symbolize control and influence by developing plans, making decisions,

and engaging in other managerial activities to make sense out of random,
confusing, and ambiguous situations. However, the actual part that managers play
in organizational success or failure is limited according to this view. In the 1990s,
Cisco Systems was the picture of success. Growing rapidly, it was widely praised
by analysts for its "brilliant strategy, masterful management of acquisitions and
superb customer focus." As Cisco's performance declined during the early part of
the twenty-first century, analysts said that its strategy was flawed, its acquisition
approach was haphazard, and its customer service was poor. The symbolic view
would suggest that declining performance was due to the external circumstances
beyond the control of the managers.

Define organizational culture and discuss its three primary
implications.
Answer Given

Organizational culture is the shared values, principles, traditions, and ways of
doing things that influence the way organizational members act. In most
organizations, these important shared values and practices have evolved over
time and determine, in large degree, what employees perceive about their


organizational experiences and how they behave in the organization. When doing
their work, the organizational culturethe "way we do things around
here"influences what employees can do and how they view, define, analyze, and
resolve problems and issues. Our definition of culture implies three things. First,
culture is a perception. Individuals perceive the organizational culture on the basis
of what they see, hear, or experience within the organization. Second, even
though individuals may have different backgrounds or work at different
organizational levels, they tend to describe the organization's culture in similar
terms. That's the shared aspect of culture. Finally, organizational culture is

descriptive. It's concerned with how members perceive the organization, not with
whether they like it. It describes rather than evaluates.

Identify and define the seven dimensions that make up an
organization's culture.
Answer Given

Organizational culture has been described as the shared values, principles,
traditions, and ways of doing things that influence the way organizational members
act. In most organizations, these shared values and practices have evolved over
time. a. Innovation and risk takingthe degree to which employees are
encouraged to be innovative and to take risks; b. Attention to detail the degree to
which employees are expected to exhibit precision, analysis, and attention to
detail; c. Outcome orientationthe degree to which managers focus on results or
outcomes rather than on how these outcomes are achieved; d. People
orientationthe degree to which management decisions take into account the
effects on people in the organization; e. Team orientationthe degree to which
work is organized around teams rather than individuals; f. Aggressiveness the
degree to which employees are aggressive and competitive rather than
cooperative; g. Stabilitythe degree to which organizational decisions and actions
emphasize maintaining the status quo.

Describe the characteristics of an innovative organizational
culture.
Answer Given

According to Swedish researcher Goran Ekvall, an innovative culture would be
characterized by the following: a. Challenge and involvement – Are employees
involved in, motivated by, and committed to long-term goals and success of the
organization? b. Freedom – Can employees independently define their work,

exercise discretion, and take initiative in their day-to-day activities? c. Trust and
openness – Are employees supportive and respectful to each other? d. Idea time –
Do individuals have time to elaborate on new ideas before taking action? e.
Playfulness/humor – Is the workplace spontaneous and fun? f. Conflict resolution
– Do individuals make decisions and resolve issues based on the good of the
organization versus personal interest? g. Debates – Are employees allowed to
express opinions and put forth ideas for consideration and review? h. Risk-taking
– Do managers tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity, and are employees rewarded
for taking risks?


In a short essay, explain the reasons behind the increasing
importance of workplace spirituality in recent years.
How can managers best promote workplace spirituality
within their organizations?
Answer Given

Workplace spirituality is a culture in which organizational values promote a sense
of purpose through meaningful work taking place in the context of community.
Organizations with a spiritual culture recognize that people have a mind and a
spirit, seek to find meaning and purpose in their work, and desire to connect with
other human beings and be part of a community. Workplace spirituality is
important now for a number of reasons: a. Employees are looking for ways to
counterbalance the stresses and pressures of a turbulent pace of life; b.
Contemporary lifestyles underscore the lack of community that many people feel.
People are looking for involvement and connection; c. Aging baby boomers are
reaching mid-life and looking for something meaningful in their lives, something
beyond the job; d. Individuals desire to integrate their personal life values with
their professional lives; e. For some, formalized religion hasn't worked. These
individuals continue to look for anchors to replace a lack of faith and to fill a

growing sense of emptiness. To increase workplace spirituality within their
organizations, managers can work to promote five primary characteristics: a.
Strong sense of purpose: Spiritual organizations build their cultures around a
meaningful purpose. To build spiritual organizations, managers should emphasize
that while profits are important, they're not the primary values of the organization;
b. Focus on individual development: Spiritual organizations recognize the worth
and value of individuals. To increase workplace spirituality, managers should seek
to create cultures in which employees can continually grow and learn; c. Trust and
openness: Spiritual organizations are characterized by mutual trust, honesty, and
openness. To promote spirituality, managers shouldn't be afraid to admit mistakes.
They should be upfront with employees, customers, and suppliers; d. Employee
empowerment: The high-trust climate in spiritual organizations, when combined
with the desire to promote learning and growth, leads to managers empowering
employees to make most work-related decisions. To promote spirituality,
managers should trust employees to make thoughtful and conscientious decisions;
e. Toleration of employee expression: Spiritually based organizations don't stifle
employee emotions. To promote workplace spirituality, managers should create
environments in which employees can express their moods and feelings without
guilt or fear of reprimand.

Define environmental uncertainty. Briefly discuss the
dimensions of environmental uncertainty.
Answer Given

Environmental uncertainty refers to the degree of change and complexity in an
organization's environment. The first dimension of uncertainty is the degree of
change. If the components in an organization's environment changes frequently, it
is a dynamic environment. If change is minimal, it's a stable one. A stable
environment might be one with no new competitors, few technological

breakthroughs by current competitors, little activity by pressure groups to influence
the organization, and so forth. Degree of change in this case means change that's
unpredictable. If change can be accurately anticipated, it's not an uncertainty for
managers. The other dimension of uncertainty describes the degree of
environmental complexity, which looks at the number of components in an
organization's environment and the extent of the knowledge that the organization
has about those components. An organization with fewer competitors, customers,
suppliers, government agencies, and so forth faces a less complex and uncertain
environment. Organizations deal with environmental complexity in various ways.
Complexity is also measured in terms of the knowledge an organization needs
about its environment.

Discuss how culture constrains managers. Include specific
examples to support your answer.
Answer Given

Because an organization's culture constrains what managers can and cannot do, it
is particularly relevant to managers. These constraints are rarely explicit. They're
not written down. It's unlikely that they'll even be spoken. But they're there, and all
managers quickly learn what to do and not to do in their organization. The link
between values such as these and managerial behavior is fairly straightforward.
For example, in a so-called "ready-aim-fire" culture, managers will study proposed
projects first and analyze them endlessly before committing to them. However, in a
"ready-fire-aim" culture, managers take action and then analyze what has been
done. If an organization's culture supports the belief that profits can be increased
by cost cutting and that the company's best interests are served by achieving slow
but steady increases in quarterly earnings. Managers are unlikely to pursue
programs that are innovative, risky, long term, or expansionary. For organizations
that value and encourage workforce diversity, the organizational culture and thus

managers' decisions and actions, will be supportive of diversity efforts. In an
organization whose culture conveys a basic distrust of employees, managers are
more likely to use an authoritarian leadership style than a democratic one. Why?
The culture establishes for managers what is appropriate and expected behavior.
At St. Luke's advertising agency in London, for example, a culture shaped by the
value placed on freedom of expression, a lack of coercion and fear, and a
determination to make work fun influences the way employees work and the way
that managers plan, organize, lead, and control. The organization's culture is
reinforced even by the office environment which is open, versatile, and creative.

Discuss the criticisms against workplace spirituality.
Answer Given

Workplace spirituality is a culture in which organizational values promote a sense
of purpose through meaningful work taking place in the context of community.
Organizations with a spiritual culture recognize that people have a mind and a
spirit, seek to find meaning and purpose in their work, and desire to connect with
other human beings and be part of a community. Critics of the spirituality
movement have focused on two issues: legitimacy (Do organizations have the
right to impose spiritual values on their employees?) and economics (Are
spirituality and profits compatible?). An emphasis on spirituality clearly has the


potential to make some employees uneasy. Critics might argue that secular
institutions, especially businesses, have no business imposing spiritual values on
employees. This criticism is probably valid when spirituality is defined as bringing
religion into the workplace. However, it's less valid when the goal is helping
employees find meaning in their work. If concerns about today's lifestyles and
pressures truly characterize a growing number of workers, then maybe it is time
for organizations to help employees find meaning and purpose in their work and to

use the workplace to create a sense of community. The issue of whether
spirituality and profits are compatible is certainly important. Limited evidence
suggests that the two may be compatible. One study found that companies that
introduced spiritually based techniques improved productivity and significantly
reduced turnover. Another found that organizations that provided their employees
with opportunities for spiritual development outperformed those that didn't. Others
reported that spirituality in organizations was positively related to creativity, ethics,
employee satisfaction, job involvement, team performance, and organizational
commitment.